Film
Review: Zombieland: Double Tap
This sequel fails to measure up to its sharp and quick-witted predecessor, says Linda Marric
October 17, 2019 10:32
This sequel fails to measure up to its sharp and quick-witted predecessor, says Linda Marric
October 17, 2019 10:32A decade after Zombieland became a cult hit for director Ruben Fleischer (30 Minutes or Less, Venom), we are once again reunited with the film’s lead cast in Zombieland: Double Tap, a sequel which sadly fails to measure up to its sharp and quick-witted predecessor.
Ten years after the world was overrun by zombies, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) and sisters Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) have become experts at surviving the apocalypse.
After visiting the abandoned White House, Columbus proposes to Wichita believing it to be a natural step in their relationship. Meanwhile Little Rock's hopes of meeting a boy and starting her own family are dashed by Tallahassee who sees in her the daughter he never had.
The next morning, the boys find a farewell note from the girls, who have left due to Little Rock feeling Tallahassee still treats her like a kid, and Wichita getting a case of cold feet. Hilarity ensues when Little Rock takes off with a young musician leaving her sister behind.
Meanwhile at the White House, Columbus has already moved on with “valley girl” airhead Madison (an exquisite turn from Zoey Deutch).
From the offset, Zombieland: Double Tap fails to present a legitimate reason for its existence beyond the obvious financial incentive.
And while there are undeniably some half-decent gags peppered throughout its barely coherent plot, what stands out the most here is the film’s failure to recapture the fun and breeziness of the original.
What is even more puzzling is that in the ten years that have passed, both Stone - now an Oscar winner - and Eisenberg have made the transition from up-and-coming to bona fide Hollywood stars, which begs the question, what possessed them to say 'yes' to this completely unnecessary sequel.
Eisenberg is as enthusiastic as ever as he reprises a role which cemented him as a brilliant comic actor. Him and Harrelson bounce off each other beautifully, just like they did ten years earlier, while Stone sadly looks mostly bored throughout.
However, the film’s only saving grace comes courtesy of - yet another - cameo from the inimitable Bill Murray whose iconic turn as himself in the original movie was one of the funniest of his long and fruitful career.
Overall, while the original succeeded perfectly in sending up the onslaught of zombie movies making their way onto our screens at that time, Double Tap offers very little in the way of story. In the end we are left with a lame duck of a movie and a cast which, ironically, seems bored to death.
Zombieland: Double Tap is in cinemas from October 18